Couch Shelf

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a Couch Shelf, a space saving, single shelf accessory unit designed primarily to be placed behind the back of a couch. The Couch Shelf works equally well behind or next to a bed. The shelving component of the Couch Shelf is manufactured in wood, plastic or glass material. The Couch Shelf is manufactured in three installment type embodiments. A first embodiment is free standing, a second embodiment is fixed and wall mounted, and a third embodiment is a hinged and wall mounted or mounted to the back of the couch.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority under 35 USC 119 (e) (1) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/686,255 filed Apr. 2, 2012, of common inventorship herewith entitled, “Couch Shelf.”

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to the field of furniture, and more specifically to the field of furniture with accessory shelving or storage.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The prior art has put forth several designs for furniture with accessory shelving or storage. Among these are:

U.S. Pat. No. 2,642,584 to John S. Petersen and Barry E. Coshun describes a sofa bed that is easily retractable from a sleep position to a seat position. The seat section is moves to its forward sleep position automatically upon releasing a latch. The sofa bed includes a rearward retractable backrest which contains a storage space for bedding and permits easy access to said storage space without retracting the backrest.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,221,678 to Donald W. Doherty describes shelf structures with a pair of spaced tubular supports to prevent sliding on action on the shelf. A series of vertically spaced shelves extend between and are supported by two evenly spaced matching tubular supports which extend from a floor to a ceiling. This shelf and its support assembly are employed with minimum installation effort on the part of a consumer or user.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,509,696 to Oscar Q. Soto and Richard Herrera describes a system, method and apparatus for a retractable and concealable support for an item of furniture. The apparatus provides a dining support that is extendable from and retractable and concealable on furniture. The device has a platform for supporting food and drinks that is movable between a deployed position and a retracted position beneath the furniture. To move device from the retracted position to the deployed position, the platform is pulled from beneath the furniture and then elevated to a horizontal position. The height of the platform is vertically adjustable.

None of these prior art references describe the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a free standing or wall mountable accessory shelf to fit behind a couch or a bed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is diagonal top view showing a sofa with the present invention installed behind the sofa along a wall.

FIG. 2 is a diagonal top view shows the engineering design of a single installed shelf against a wall without a sofa in front.

FIG. 3 is a close up diagonal top view of a sofa corner having the shelf of the present invention mounted between a wall and the back of a sofa.

FIG. 4 is a close up diagonal top view of a sofa corner having the shelf of the present invention mounted between a wall and resting on top of the back edge of a sofa.

FIG. 5 is a close up diagonal front view showing a metal support leg installed in a metal support frame containing a set screw along with a pin and lock design for adjusting the height of the legs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As any high school physics student learns, a gas inevitably expands to evenly fill a container regardless of the container's size. As any household resident learns, a very similar law operates in terms of possessions. Like gas, possessions expand to fill whatever resident one occupies whether a mansion, house, mansion, condominium or studio apartment. Many householders very quickly find their available space diminishing as their possessions expand. Household space comes at a premium, and most householders are looking for better ways to use it. Bookshelves built into a wall convert wall space into storage space without appreciably decreasing a room's volume. Laptop computer work stations with hideaway sliding shelves double as traditional desks for reading or writing. Many people use space under their beds for storage, and even closets and garages are filled to capacity with one's stuff. Potential storage areas in houses and apartments usually remain unused even though with a little ingenuity and imagination these spaces are usable for storage.

One example of unused storage space is above and behind a couch or sofa. Whether the couch stands alone in the middle of the room or is backed up to a wall, this open space seldom is used. Homemakers typically place a coffee table in front of most couches. This low coffee table holds everything from food and drinks to magazines and electronics. The coffee table inevitably becomes cluttered with stuff which eventually is swept off by a dog's wagging tail or a child's curious hand. The coffee table takes up a lot of space that is usable for lounging, playing or exercising. Meanwhile unused space just above and behind the couch is open as potential storage space that is close at hand and a safe height.

The present invention, hereinafter referred to as Couch Shelf, puts the space behind and above a sofa or couch to use and perhaps eliminates the need for a coffee table as well. The Couch Shelf is a product line of handy space saving, single shelf accessory units designed primarily to be placed behind the back of a couch. The Couch Shelf works equally well behind or next to a bed. The present invention enables consumers to take advantage of the space just above and behind their couch or bed with a long single shelf that is free standing, permanently affixed to the wall or equipped with swing down hinges.

The shelving component of the Couch Shelf is manufactured in wood, plastic or glass material. This shelf measures approximately six feet in length, four inches in width and one inch in thickness. The Couch Shelf is manufactured in three installment type embodiments. A first embodiment is free standing, a second embodiment is fixed and wall mounted, and a third embodiment is a hinged and wall mounted or mounted to the back of the couch. The free standing embodiment comprises a metal frame for supporting the shelf 10 that has adjustable length legs 20 on both ends which are joined together by a crossbar brace 22. These legs and cross bar are inserted over two lower support feet 24, approximately twelve to sixteen inches in length, which extend forward perpendicularly along the flooring and reside out of sight beneath the couch. The free standing embodiment with adjustable legs permits functional use with either a low or high backed sofa and is equally suitable for a sofa backed up to a wall or a sofa in the middle of the room. Because both the shelf and supporting feet extend laterally in the same direction from the supporting frame, the shelf can hold considerable weight with great stability. The free standing embodiment is produced in shorter shelf lengths to function as a side table or an end table.

Possessing the same functionality and physical specifications described with the first embodiment, the second and third embodiments are engineered for installation on a wall behind or next to a sofa or bed. The second embodiment is equipped with fixed wall mounting brackets, screws and wall anchors. The third embodiment mounts to a wall with hinged wall mounting brackets rather than fixed brackets. These hinged brackets enable a user to raise and lock a shelf in a functioning position or fold down and conceal a shelf flush against a wall when not being used. The hinged brackets can be mounted to the back of the couch, or to a wall. All three embodiments of the Couch Shelf provide consumers with a convenient space saving, easily accessible and affordable accessory shelf for use behind a couch, above or beside a bed. The Couch Shelf is a handy shelf for storing commonly used articles that takes up very little space.

Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto and various modifications which will become apparent to the person of ordinary skill in the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 

1. A free standing accessory shelf to fit behind a sofa, couch or a bed, comprising: a metal frame for supporting the shelf wherein the shelf has adjustable length legs on both ends of the shelf end which legs are joined together by a crossbar brace, further wherein the legs and cross bar are inserted over two lower support feet, wherein the feet are approximately twelve to sixteen inches in length, and the feet extend forward perpendicularly from the legs to fit under the couch to provide additional stability along the flooring and reside out of sight beneath the couch.
 2. A wall mounted accessory shelf to fit behind a sofa, couch or a bed, comprising: a metal frame for supporting the shelf wherein the metal frame is mounted on a wall behind the sofa, couch or bed.
 3. A hinged accessory shelf to fit behind a sofa, couch or bed comprising a shelf having hinged wall mounting brackets to allow the shelf to fold down, and wherein the hinged shelf is mounted to a wall or couch.
 4. The accessory shelf of claim 1 comprising wood, plastic or glass material.
 5. The accessory shelf of claim 2 comprising wood, plastic or glass material.
 6. The accessory shelf of claim 3 comprising wood, plastic or glass material.
 7. The accessory shelf of claim 1, wherein the shelf measures approximately six feet in length, four inches in width and one inch in thickness.
 8. The accessory shelf of claim 2, wherein the shelf measures approximately six feet in length, four inches in width and one inch in thickness.
 9. The accessory shelf of claim 3, wherein the shelf measures approximately six feet in length, four inches in width and one inch in thickness. 